4.  The applicants were born in 1937 and live in München.
5.  On 28 March 1989 a civil action was filed by the applicants before the District Court of Paphos in respect of a contract of sale of a flat in Paphos that had been concluded between them and a building development company, the defendants. They sought a declaratory judgment to the effect that the contract had been annulled. They also sought damages totalling 35,305 Cypriot pounds (CYP), plus interest. The defendants filed a counterclaim against the applicants for damages amounting to CYP 31,200.
6.  On 26 May 1989 the submission of pleadings was completed.
7.  From the latter date until 21 October1991 the case was adjourned or set at a later date at the applicants’ request five times. The case was rescheduled twice by the court, once for a period of approximately five months and once only for six days.
8.  The hearing of the action commenced on 21 October 1991 and following several hearing sessions, it was completed on 5 June 1992.
9.  On 18 November 1992 the Paphos District Court delivered judgment in favour of the applicants awarding them damages amounting to CYP 32,000 and CYP 800 as costs with interest at 6% from the date of the judgment. The defendants however were awarded CYP 1,650 as damages in respect of their counterclaim, for the period during which the applicants remained in occupation of the flat following the termination of the contract.
10.  On 23 December 1992 the defendants filed an appeal against the first instance judgment before the Supreme Court.
11.  On 15 January 1993 the appellants filed an application for a stay of execution concerning the payment of damages. On 2 February 1994, the applicants entered a written agreement with the appellants agreeing to the stay on certain conditions.
12.  The records of the Supreme Court of 3 and 13 December 1996 reveal that the appeal was dismissed on 23 March 1993 in view of the fact that the appellants had not applied to the Registry for the minutes within the prescribed three month time-limit. Yet, at the time, on 7 May 1993, the Chief Registrar had informed the appellants that if they wished to pursue their appeal they had to pay the fees required for the minutes. The appellants submitted their application for the minutes and the fees on 10 June 1993. On 7 February 1996 the Chief Registrar notified them that the case had been set for hearing on 22 April 1996 and that the minutes were ready. The proceedings commenced on the latter date and the hearing on 25 September 1996. The Registrar brought the dismissal of the appeal to the attention of the court and the parties on 3 December 1996.
13.  On 13 December 1996 the court examined the matter and on 20 December 1996 the appellants filed an application for the reinstatement of their appeal. Following the filing of an opposition by the applicants, the case was adjourned sine die on 27 January 1997 pending the outcome in a number of other cases before the Supreme Court concerning the question of reinstatement of appeals in similar cases.
14.  On 31 March 1997 the Supreme Court delivered its judgment allowing reinstatement of the appeal and following the appellants’ application to the Registrar to fix their case before the court, the appeal was reinstated on 18 April 1997.
15.  Hearing sessions were held on 28 August and 29 October 1997.
16.  On 19 February 1998 the Supreme Court delivered its judgment setting aside the district court’s decision in part regarding the expenses awarded and interest thereto, in view of an agreement reached between the parties in this respect during the appeal proceedings. The court ordered a retrial regarding the issue of quantum of damages in relation to the breach of the contract. The rest of the judgment was upheld.
17.  On 27 May 1998 the applicants applied to the Registrar of the District Court of Paphos to schedule the case for hearing in respect of the determination of the amount of damages.
18.  Two hearing sessions were held on 14 December 1998 and 19 March 1999 with judgment reserved on that date. The case was adjourned once within this period at the applicants’ request.
19.  On 3 April 2000, approximately one year following the conclusion of the proceedings before the district court, the Supreme Court, subsequent to sending a letter to the Senior District Judge concerning the delay in the delivery of the judgment, fixed the case before it for this purpose (Rules of Procedure concerning the prompt delivery of court judgments (1986)). On 30 June 2000, the Supreme Court adopted a decision in this respect, emphasising the importance of providing justice within a reasonable time, and directed the Senior District Judge to deliver his judgment by 31 December 2000. The Government stated that the extension was given to avoid an order for retrial.
20.  In the meantime the judge retired and on 1 December 2000 the case was assigned to another judge for retrial, who fixed the case for hearing on 2 February 2001.
21.  Subsequently five adjournments took place, two at the defendants’ request and three at the applicants’ request. The hearing commenced on 27 June 2001 and was concluded on 19 September 2001. In total three hearing sessions were held and addresses were given on 23 October 2001. The court delivered its judgment on 23 December 2002 awarding the applicants damages for breach of contract amounting to CYP 28,720 plus legal interests and costs to be assessed by the Registrar.
22.  On 17 April 2003 the applicants’ lawyer submitted his bill of costs for assessment by the Registrar amounting to CYP 2,120.60.
23.  On 8 May 2003 the costs were assessed by the Registrar at CYP 927 plus interest at 8% per annum from 29 November 1996 and VAT at CYP 139.50.